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= Western Association of Physicians =

The Western Association of Physicians (WAP) is an association of academic physician-scientists who meet in Carmel, California each winter to discuss and present research and other educational programs.

The mission of the Western Association of Physicians is to encourage interest in academic medicine; to foster and celebrate excellence; to encourage collaboration among members; to mentor junior faculty, residents, fellows and medical students; and to invite leading authorities to speak on topics intended to extend biomedical knowledge and improve patient care.

Founded in 1955 by Robert Williams, Maxwell Wintrobe, Theodore Althausen, Joseph Ross, Clement Finch, David Rytand, John Lawrence, and Gordon Meiklejohn, the goal was to establish a western society analogous to the Association of American Physicians. Over the years the society has grown to a membership of several hundred, including many distinguished academicians from diverse areas of medicine. Our purpose remains the same—to promote research, collaboration and education.

Meetings
In 1955, Dr. Robert H. Williams, the Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington arranged a meeting of five other eminent physicians to discuss establishing the society and its goals. The idea was to establish in the West a regional society roughly analogous to the Association of American Physicians. The group met annually to discuss qualifications for membership in the WAP and general plans for the structure of programs.

As the key founder, Robert Williams served as President for the initial meeting in 1956. The first Presidential Address was given by Dr. Maxwell Wintrobe, and these addresses continued to be given through subsequent years. Dr. Wade Volwiler's Presidential Address in 1966 entitled "Western Association of Physicians: Evolutions and Challenge," and Dr. Edmund Bierman's address in 1981 are applauded as the best current sources of the founding of the WAP and the progress during its early days.

Initially meetings were closed and no abstracts were published. Beginning in 1981, however, abstracts were required for paper submissions. Eventually the meetings merged with those of the other Western societies that are devoted to biomedical research (WSCI, etc).

Structure
Bylaws were approved in 1969. In 1979 the Association became tax exempt and has since been registered in Washington State.

Annual Lectures
The Western Association of Physicians has a long history of distinguished annual lectureships. This tradition began in 1971 when the Hyland Laboratories began to sponsor lectures with $1,000.000 annual donations. The Hyland Labs sponsorship of the lectures ended in 1974.

In 1975, Dr. Holly Smith secured support from The Kroc Foundation for an annual distinguished lecture. The Kroc Lecture continued annually with a $1000 donation. In 1985, Dr. Robert Kroc donated $15,000 to endow the lectureship.

The Kaiser Family Foundation endowed a lecture on Health Policy from 1981 through 1989 with a gift of $1,500 per year.

In 1987 the Western Association requested donations of $100 from its members and raised $14,703 to endow a Western Association lecture. The first lecture was given in 1990.

Officers, 2010-2011

 * President: Virginia Broudy, Harborview Medical Center Department of Medicine


 * President-Elect: Carlin Long, Denver Health Medical Center


 * Secretary-Treasurer: John Heffner, Garnjobst Chair, Providence Portland Medical Center


 * Councilor: Hamid Said, UCI/VA Medical Center — 151


 * Councilor: Gregory Brent, Endocrinology and Diabetes Division, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System


 * Councilor: Joe Vinetz, University of California - San Diego, School of Medicine


 * Councilor: Jeffrey Glenn, Stanford School of Medicine Digestive Disease Center


 * Ex-Officio Liaison to Emeriti: Robert Strickland, University of New Mexico School of Medicine


 * Past-President: David N. Gilbert, Providence Portland Medical Center, Department of Medical Education

Annual Meeting
The Western Association of Physicians meets annually in Carmel, California. The next meeting will be held January 26 - 29, 2011.